Saturday, May 19, 2012

Blogger's Quilt Festival



I've been debating all day which quilt I wanted to use for the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.  I finally decided that since this is my first time entering, I would enter the first "real" quilt I made.

Sadly, I can't remember exactly when I made this quilt.  It was sometime in the last two years.  I blogged about a similar quilt here - that was my second quilt.



I had seen a photo of a patchwork log cabin "quilt as you go" quilt and was inspired to try it.  I especially liked how you didn't have to cut even strips or even precut strips at all.  The idea was to just choose fabrics as you went in varying widths.  At that point, I was just starting to sew but I still had a decent selections of scraps and small cuts of fabrics (some I wish I still had and some I'm glad I don't.)

I didn't have an actual tutorial or pattern but I had gathered enough information to know how to piece the fabrics onto the batting and how to quilt each piece as it was added.  I made a few blocks a week (as opposed to now when I would probably try to do a few a day) and when I had nine, I decided that was a good size and I pieced the blocks together.  They were varying sizes and I decided to keep them that way so I would keep the uneven look (which I would now describe as wonky.)



All was well but I didn't know what to do about the back.  I knew the back should be quilted but if I already quilted the top, then how would that work?  So, I'm not sure what I was thinking but I took a piece of fabric the size of my quilt top and quilted it to a piece of batting with several straight lines.  Then I made a quilt sandwich with just two thick pieces of bread!

I machine stitched the binding - this was my first time binding a quilt, let alone machine stitching the binding!  It did not go well.  I shared my botched binding that I replaced in my post about my 2nd Log Cabin - that was pretty awful but this was way worse - fortunately, I don't have any pictures (or do I?!?)  As you can see in the pictures, I have since redone the binding.



So, if you are still reading, you may be wondering why did I enter this quilt?  Well, not only was it my first quilt but it was the first step in my realizing my love for quilting.  Even with all its flaws, I loved looking at this thing that I created.  I loved everything about it.  And I had so much fun making it.  I couldn't wait to make more.

My daughters loved the quilt too and they loved this new skill I was acquiring.  Soon, every doll and stuffed animal in our house had their own little quilt (in addition to their own little crocheted blanket.)  And this small quilt took the back burner to the myriad of other bigger and better quilts "we" were making.  But this little quilt found its way back to the top of the quilt pile when the baby came.  The crazy "mistake" (yes, I realize I might be overusing quotation marks in this post) that I had made by using a double layer of batting which made the quilt so heavy and stiff made it the absolute perfect play mat.  Except for when it was in the wash, we used this quilt everyday.  It is in so many photos (and memories) from the baby's first 7 months.



Well, the baby is getting bigger and more mobile so she is not really staying in one place anymore, thus, this quilt has been hanging out on a chair instead of the floor.  I think I am going to fold it up and put it on the bookshelf in the baby's room and hope that one day she discovers it and loves it as much as her sisters do.  

Hm, I think I got a bit sappy there so I guess this is a good place to end.  If you are still with me, I encourage you to click over to the quilt festival to check out the amazing entries.  I spent way too much time over there myself and will be going back soon.

*I can't remember where I first found the inspiration to make the quilt as you go log cabins.  It might have been from Amanda on SouleMama who has used this method in many beautiful projects (hers was one of the first blogs I regularly read.)  I have also since read and learned a lot from the book that she used for her quilts - Patchwork Style by Suzuko Koseki.  And there are so many sources of information for this method online - not sure if they weren't there when I was making the quilt or if I just didn't know to look!

24 comments:

  1. Beautiful quilt, the colors are fantastic! Great story too! I love when "mistakes" turn out well. There are few things better than a well-loved quilt! :D

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  2. It's a beautiful quilt and filled with happy memories - which, at the end of the day, is what all the best quilts are.

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  3. Beautiful quilt and beautiful story.

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  4. I love this quilt's story! One of the best parts of quilting for me is when my kids snuggle up under them, whether or not it's for them! I see some of my favorite Soul Blossoms fabric in there, too. I can't wait to see your next quilt. I am loving that dark fabric. Well done, Beth:)

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  5. What a nice narrative of this (& your) quilt journey....obviously a well-loved quilt, which is the best kind of all.

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  6. What a striking quilt! It's hard to believe it was your first one!

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  7. I love your colorful quilt. I'm a fairly new quilter, too, 3 years.

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  8. This looks so cozy and colourful, it's wonderful that it has been so well used. I love it!

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  9. Beautiful! I love that it seems both warm and summery at the same time.

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  10. I think you learnt a lot with this quilt. Most especially that you love quilting. My first has so many 'discoveries' too! Juliex

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  11. The quilt is gorgeous! I love the colours and the prints. Great story behind it! It's nice to know what inspired someone to make something =D

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  12. I loved reading your story about this quilt. It looks great and hard to believe it was your first quilt. It's wonderful that it led you on to your quilting journey.

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  13. It's so lovely! I really enjoy all of those colours together.

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  14. modern and pretty

    Check out my blog if you can...

    Margaret Gunn
    www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com

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  15. Great fabric choices! I love the story of how it's been used too.

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  16. My first two quilts have been smallish playmat styles for the babies in our family. They are loved and this like you makes me so happy. The first one was moda pinks and creams and people were all "you can't put that on the floor". You can, if it stays in a drawer what's the point?

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  17. It is a gorgeous quilt, which I am sure will be loved for many years yet :)

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  18. What a fabulous first quilt! So bright and cheery.

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  19. It's a lovely joyful quilt - such radiant colours!

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  20. One of my favourite things about quilts and quilting is that the people using them don't notice any minor imperfections that we quilters sometimes worry about. I love the colours and the story x

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  21. Such a beautiful quilt - love the mix of fabrics!

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  22. beautiful! fantastic fabrics and colors. thanks for sharing and have a great day

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  23. I love your quilt and I love your story - you struck quite a chord and I even got a bit teary, wow! :)

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  24. WOW, I love this quilt. Love the colors. Got here from Crazy Mom. Just getting back to sewing and enjoying if I can clean up my sewing corner to be more productive. Gives me another reason to use up my stash. Wish I had some bold fabrics like that.

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